"Do As I Say, Not As I Do" by Peter Schweizer
Posted on 05/04/2006 5:40:17 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
Castro worth $900 million: Forbes
By Michele Gershberg
Cuban President Fidel Castro was furious when Forbes magazine estimated his fortune at $550 million last year. This year, the magazine upped its estimate of the communist leader's wealth to a cool $900 million.
Castro, who says his net worth is nil, is likely the beneficiary of up to $900 million, based on his control of state-owned companies, the U.S. financial magazine said in its annual tally of "Kings, Queens & Dictators" fortunes on Thursday.
Kings and sheikhs of the oil-rich Gulf Arab states still top the Forbes list, to be published in its May 22 edition.
Saudi King Abdullah is number one with an estimated $21 billion, followed by Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei at $20 billion and United Arab Emirates' President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahayan at $19 billion.
Among Europeans, Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein improved upon his family fortune of palaces, real estate and artwork with an investment in a U.S. producer of hybrid rice, for total estimated riches of $4 billion.
Perhaps the most industrious of the leaders listed is Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, ruler of Dubai, with a net worth of $14 billion.
Forbes estimates the renowned racehorse breeder also helped raise Dubai's gross domestic product from about $8 billion to nearly $40 billion since 1994 by diversifying its industries outside of oil and making successful investments overseas.
"He would probably be the shrewdest of the bunch," said Luisa Kroll, associate editor at Forbes.
Africa's Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, president of Equatorial Guinea, made the list of wealthiest leaders for the first time. He is estimated to hold up to $600 million, the magazine said, although an oil boom has not prevented his country's slide down the United Nations' development rankings.
Castro had said he was considering suing after Forbes released its 2005 list, scoffing then his wealth was estimated to be close to that of the queen of England.
"Do they think I am (former Zairian President) Mobutu (Sese Seko) or one of the many millionaires, those thieves and plunderers that the empire has suckled and protected?" he said last year, referring to his capitalist archenemy, Washington.
This year, Castro would be well above the British monarch. Queen Elizabeth came in with some $500 million in estates, gems and a stamp collection built by her grandfather. The list does not include Buckingham Palace or the crown jewels.
A copy of the list, compiled by Forbes editors and not confirmed by the royals themselves, was released on Thursday.
"People are always intrigued. What is the ultimate fantasy but being a rich princess or prince?" said Kroll, who edits the magazine's annual list of global billionaires.
"We keep it separate from the billionaires because there are some very tricky things about these folks," Kroll said. "It's very hard to separate state from personal wealth. Some of these fortunes literally go back 800 years."
Whoa. Socialism works!
How communist of him. (Communism is just for the proletariat,
not the nomenklatura.)
Ha ha. Saddamned no longer qualifies for that list because he is no longer able to use the Iraqi people as his own personal piggy bank.
One of my former neighbors -- a moderately wealthy woman -- left her estate to Fidel Castro.
Wow! You sure could buy a lot of 53 Chevys, Packards, DeSotos and Studebakers with all of that dough! Not to mention giving great "free" healthcare to all your lucky citizens.
Cuba, it's so modern and free! To be a citizen there must be heaven on earth!
And Castro's country is worth 30 cents. That plundering SOB. Who says that socialism doesn't work?
Don't kid yourself.
Many DUummies are more than willing to move there, but only if Castro would let them.
Same ol commie dictator story.
From each according to Castros needs, to noone despite their need.
**Cuba, it's so modern and free! To be a citizen there must be heaven on earth!***
That is why everyone is fighting to go there!
900 million! Not bad for a kid who wrote a letter to FDR in the 1940's asking for a $5.00 bill so he could see what one looked like.
I'd swap the DUmmies for intelligent industrious Cubans ant day of the week.
ping
ant = any
Imagin that!its not even his money.he has stolen $900 million from the people of Cuba and they call it his.
It doesn't sound like he owns those companies.
Well said.
See the Real Cuba
http://www.therealcuba.com/
After 47 years of Castro.
It is clear where the money went which SHOULD HAVE GONE toward keeping Cuba's intrastructure intact.
Into Castro's bank.
Too bad the last trip he took wasn't a permanent vacation.
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